Accessibility Resources

Special Education

Special education students will take their grade level assessment, not ability level assessment. If you would like to administer an additional assessment at the student’s ability level, the Optional Practice/Baseline assessments in this guide can be used. This data can be compared to support your instructional practice.

Paraprofessionals

Paras may support administration of VESD Benchmark Assessments with supervision of a certificated staff member in the classroom or in a breakout room.
Paras may support by video monitoring, technology support, taking a running record, documenting classroom assessments, and/or as a scribe.
Paras do not have access to DnA by Renaissance (formally Illuminate) and will need to have students' local ID (not SSID), the quick access link or quick access code shared with them prior to supporting in small groups.
Teachers may print copies of the questions to support paras during administration.

Differentiated Administration Tips

Special education staff were invited to optional Office Hours in January 2021 to review VESD Benchmark information, ask questions, and collaborate. Information was gathered from SPED teachers and the following strategies were shared and captured to support future administration.

Chunking Assessment

All questions do not need to be completed in one sitting and there is no time limit. Consider having students do 1-3 questions a setting. The goal is accurate assessment. Encourage students to take their time and check their thinking.

Breaks

Students can take breaks when needed. Encourage students to move during their break and/or get water.

Time of the day

Consider when your students are the most successful and administer the assessment at those times.

Size of the group

It is recommended to administer in a small group. However, a small group can mean something different to each classroom depending on size. Some students may need a small group of 3 others do well in a group of 5. Consider what students would benefit from a smaller group.

Scribe

Teacher or paraprofessionals may log into the assessment as the student and record student responses given verbally.

VESD Benchmark Assessment Tools

The following tools can be found on the administration page in DnA by Renaissance (formally Illuminate). Tools may be enabled for your students that need designated supports and/or accommodations outlined in IEPs or 504 plans.

Calculator Basic

All calculators in the system are Desmos calculators, the same used in CAASPP. Calculators are only allowed for specific questions and are enabled for questions that allow the use of a calculator.

*automatically enabled for specific items

Spell Checker

Underlines spelling mistakes with a red line. It does not check grammar. To activate the tool, students will type in the provided text box and then select the ABC icon to reveal any spelling errors.

*automatically enabled for specific items

Text To Speech

(Passage & Question)

This is considered an Accommodation and is available only to those students with documentation of the need through a formal IEP or 504 plan. Students have the ability to Start, Stop, Pause, and adjust the speed of the text being read. Students click the Play icon for the passage to be read.

Enabling Text to Speech

Digital Notepad

Students can take notes by clicking the Paper/Pencil icon. Typed in information carries over from question to question. This is only visible to students, teachers cannot see notes.

*automatically enabled

Highlighting

This tool is available for passages only. When enabled, students can select groups of words to highlight in yellow, blue, red, orange, or green. If the same passage is tied to more than 1 item, the highlighting carries over from question to question. This can only be seen by students and does not appear for teachers to view.

Enabling Highlighting

Dictionary

This tool is available for passages only. When enabled, students will click on a word, select define, and the definition will show up at the bottom of the passage.

Enabling Dictionary

Strike Through

Strike Through is an online testing tool for students to narrow down answer choices. It can only be used on Multiple Choice and Non-Traditional Selected Response (multiple choice with more than one correct answer) questions. *automatically enabled

Reference Materials

The default for this tool is on Use Item Setting. Any item that has reference material attached will automatically be available for that specific question.

*automatically enabled for specific items

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